Inner Tubes - confusedidiot.com

[RichardWHardwick]

Hello folks,
Been riding around with spare inner tube for months now, and just gone to put a new one in (at home thankfully) and they're huge, much bigger than the wheels.
But if I look at the one I took out and the new huge ones, there's the same numbers on the actual tubes
They're both Continental and they both state 18/25 - 622/630, Race 28 and they both have the number 37 also.
Just bought a new tyre that states it's 700 x 25c and that fits beautifully - and the three spare innertubes that are way too large also have the above numbers plus 700 x 25c.
A bit scared to buy any new ones now in case they don't fit, but I only have one spare that fits, and that's patched up already, so I need a couple more.
Any thoughts? And thanks in advance.

 

[vickster]

A tube that says 18/25 is fine for a 25mm tyre. Not sure what the issue is?

One thing, if using continental tubes, always hold your other hand over the valve when unscrewing the valve cap or valve as they have a tendency to spit out their cores which is not good especially if changing the tube outside!

 

[Profpointy]

A tube that says 18/25 is fine for a 25mm tyre. Not sure what the inssue is?

Unless one lot ar mislabelled? Unlikely, but not impossible.

To the OP are the new tubes actually different size than the old ones ?

Differences in width, within reason, not such a issue

 

[RichardWHardwick]

the new ones (bought about six months ago) are much bigger in circumference than the actual wheels or the older inner tubes - way too large to fit in the actual wheel. Maybe it was a mislabelled batch after all?
Thanks for your replies, I do appreciate it - any thoughts on better inner tubes than continental, if these can split?

 

[Lonestar]

Any pics of tube markings? (or box?) Plus the tubes you were using if this isn't too much hassle.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

the new ones (bought about six months ago) are much bigger in circumference than the actual wheels or the older inner tubes - way too large to fit in the actual wheel. Maybe it was a mislabelled batch after all?
Thanks for your replies, I do appreciate it - any thoughts on better inner tubes than continental, if these can split?

Is this measured whilst the tube is inflated?

 

[mjr]

A couple of years ago, I did encounter some Continental tubes which seemed to have stretched unevenly in places during inflation, rendering them too long and sort of uneven width as it went round, near impossible to stuff back in the tyre without it getting folded up. It was around the same time as a lot of complaints about loose valves. Before that, I'd only seen it happen to cheap unbranded/store branded tubes and very rarely. Could be the final remnants of the bad batch of continental?

 

[RichardWHardwick]

Is this measured whilst the tube is inflated?

yes, in comparison to the other ones that fit, also inflated ...

 

[RichardWHardwick]

A couple of years ago, I did encounter some Continental tubes which seemed to have stretched unevenly in places during inflation, rendering them too long and sort of uneven width as it went round, near impossible to stuff back in the tyre without it getting folded up. It was around the same time as a lot of complaints about loose valves. Before that, I'd only seen it happen to cheap unbranded/store branded tubes and very rarely. Could be the final remnants of the bad batch of continental?

I'm thinking this might be the case ...

 

[RichardWHardwick]

Any pics of tube markings? (or box?) Plus the tubes you were using if this isn't too much hassle.

this shows the same numbers - though yes the one far too big is inflated and the other isn't

this next picture shows the inflated too large one, and how it actually inflated much thicker in one place (near valve), as well as being far too large in circumference.

and this one shows the box of the too large one, which is the same box as others that have been fine ...

 

[midlife]

I am confused too....if you inflate an inner tube on its own it will get bigger......

 

[RichardWHardwick]

I am confused too....if you inflate an inner tube on its own it will get bigger......

I've simply chucked two away - having looked at them all again - because these two inflate much bigger than the other already used ones do, much bigger (in circumference) - perhaps I should have taken a picture of the two different types, both inflated. Think I'm sorted now - I have two spares, which seem fine, one used and patched. Sorry for confusing people, I love my cycling but it's not difficult to confuse me; think I simply had a couple of weird ones, as they were both too long and uneven in width in places ...

 

[Lonestar]

Not quite.They do look different but I haven't quite worked it out yet.Thanks for the pics.

Yeah they are normally thinner near the valve.

Shouldn't matter if they inflate much bigger it's whether you can fit them in the tyre and that they are the correct size.They should be ok for a 700 wheel and tyre,Is the tyre 700x23 or 700x20?

What about the tyre markings on the side?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

yes, in comparison to the other ones that fit, also inflated ...

You can't compare inflated tubes. Deflate it and fit it. It will fit.

A rubber tube inflates in a weird way. It inflates twice as much (relatively) in cross-section than in circumference. But because the circumference is so big, that bit seems exaggerated. The arteries in your body has the same problem but nature dealt with that very cleverly. We can't have lengthening arteries, now can we?

 

[I like Skol]

This is a wind up, right?